CWI Announces Central Contracts List for 2019-20 Season

Cricket West Indies has increased the number of all-format contracts awarded to West Indies men’s players and expanded the list of centrally-contracted West Indies women’s players for the 2019-20 season.

The number of all-format contracts on the men’s side has now increased from four to seven with Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul joining Test and One-Day International captain Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach on the list.

A total of 19 men have been retained for the upcoming contract year which runs from July 1 this year to June 30 next year, including first-timers Fabian Allen, Nicholas Pooran and Oshane Thomas, all members of the West Indies squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 England & Wales, along with left-handed opener John Campbell.

A total of 15 women – an increase of three – have also earned central contracts to run for the same period, including veteran all-rounder Stacy-Ann King, fellow left-hander Kycia Knight and newcomers Shabika Gajnabi, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Natasha McLean and Karishma Ramharack.

“We believe the 2019-20 contract list provides us with a multi-talented group of players who can represent West Indies men and women across all formats over the contract period,” said interim Chairman of the CWI Selection Panel, Robert Haynes.

“We believe the mix of players selected are important for the development of our teams going forward and we have looked to award contracts to players who have shown commitment and performance during the past year.”

Contracts were offered to players who have achieved consistent performances for the West Indies throughout the evaluation period of April 1 last year to March 31 this year, and players who the Selection Panel believes will feature in the squads for all matches in the respective formats over the next contract year.

CWI Board policy allows up to 22 contracts to be offered each contract year to West Indies men’s players, so the Selection Panel may decide to offer additional central contracts throughout the year.

CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams said verbal offers had been made to all players, and contracts will be issued in the next few weeks, as soon as CWI has concluded a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding with the West Indies Players Association.

“To assist in our drive of towards a new fitness and conditioning culture, the CWI board of directors has approved our recommendation that the award of all new West Indies men’s contracts this year will be conditional on each player achieving a minimum standard of fitness,” he said.

“This new policy will also be introduced to all men’s regional franchise contracts and West Indies Women’s contracts next year for the 2020-21 season.”

This is the third year that CWI will award central contracts to West Indies men under three different categories.

All-format contracts are awarded to players expected to feature in Tests, ODIs and T20Is during the coming year. Red-ball contracts are given to players who predominantly play Test cricket and white-ball contracts are awarded to players who predominantly play ODIs and T20Is.